Newport and Blackwood criminals jailed

We look at their crimes and punishment.

Lee Brown

Joshua Jones

Ricky Marnoch

Three drug dealers from the Blackwood area were jailed for a combined total of more than 10 years for trafficking cocaine.

Ex-professional footballer Lee Brown, 44, was locked up along with Joshua Jones, 31, and Ricky Marnoch, 30.

The trio were arrested following police raids at the start of the year.

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Brandino Ciccione

Youth worker Brandino Ciccione was jailed after he fell into a trap set by paedophile hunters who duped him into believing he was "grooming" a 10-year-old schoolgirl.

The 51-year-old, of Graham Street, Newport, was fooled following an online sting operation by the Angels of Innocence group.

He was found guilty by a jury of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting sexual communication with a child.

Ciccione was locked up for five years.

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Omar Hassan

A fugitive who went on the run for 16 years after being charged over a fatal road crash was slammed for “deliberately trying to escape justice”.

Omar Hassan was cleared of causing the death by dangerous driving of Hama Falih Foran Jabar, 24, on the M4 in Newport on August 21, 2004.

But the 44-year-old defendant, formerly of Commercial Road, Newport, was condemned by Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke who jailed him following his guilty plea to failing to surrender.

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Tommy Stanton

Teenage drug dealer Tommy Stanton was caught with nearly £23,000 in cocaine.

The 19-year-old, of Hawthorne Avenue, Newport, was arrested with the significant drugs haul last May.

He was sent to a young offender institution for more than two years.